Sheet-aligning device



Nev. 9 1926.

A. PODEL SHEET ALIGNING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 7, 1925 l! ll r lll lull "II-.IIIIII M i [Mi A. PODEL Nov. 9 ,21926.

SHEET ALIGNING DEVICE Filed July 7. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 N N. N 814, "to c Abraham P00 6! Patented Nov. 9, 1926.

NITE STARS ATENT FFlCE.

ABRAHAM POIDEL, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, ASSIGINOR TO ANCHOR CA? & CLOSURE CORPORATION, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SHEET-ALIGNING DEVICE.

Application filed July 7, 1925. Serial No. 41,924.

The present invention relates to sheet been chosen for purposes of description and aligning devices and more particularly to a is shown i11 the accomp nying dr wings 55 device for aligning sheets of metal such as wherein like characters refer to similar tin and the like. P t h ghOHt- An object of the present invention is to 1 is a front elevational view of the provide a sheet aligning device readily apdev ce; plicable to lacquering machines, ovens and 2 1s an end elevational view of the 60 the like which will accurately position the device wlth certain parts broken away to sheets of tin or other material without insimplify the drawing;

terfering with the usual operation of such Fig- 3 is a cross sectional view on the machines. l111e 33 of Fig. 2;

Another object of the invention is to pro- F 1g. 4 is a cross sectional View along the 65 vide a pair of sheet engaging members in- 11ne 44 of Fig. 2; terconnected to cause said members to engage ig 5 is a top plan View of a portion 15 sheets alternately on opposite edges thereof, of an oven showing a conveyor and assothereby to position correctly the individual elated mechanism with the present invensheets as they pass on a suitable conveyor tlon appl ed thereto; and y 7 without occasioning buckling of the sheets Fig. 1s a side elevational View of the by the application of pressure on oppome h nism Shown in Fig.5.

it edges i ulta eo l In the manufacture of containers, covers A further object of the invention is to e ther articles from sheet metal or the provide an aligning device adaptedto posihke, It is customary to lacquer the sheets 75 tion sheets having a maximum variation and t pply any ornamental designs or adfrom the desired position with a minimum VBI'tISGmGIItS theret0 prior to their being degree of movement, of the sheet engaging stamped and lIltO the desired articles member; to effect such a result by means Since many identical designs are applied of the shape of the ends of the engaging to the same sheets, and since inmany in- 80 members first to contact with the approachstances I IS ne ssary to run the sheets ing sheets whereby the distance between r gh several machmes where frequently so these ends is substantially greater than the 9 1 ign 1s superimposed on another, it distance between the other portions of the 1S c a y that the Sheets P gh the members so that the sheets which are furlhdchlne 1 accurate POSitiOIL This is p r 85 thest from their correct position are moved y time Where v ral colors of lacquer in successive steps to their correct position. 9 Pitlnt t e 1 h design or advertis- Further objects of the present invention matter llhpllhted thereoncontemplate a device of the above charac- T most COmmOIl rIn of device for teristics which is positive in action, and g ing Sheets prior o h ir entry to such 90 which is of such simple and rugged cone a m llic rods placed on the struction as to insure its proper operation PP 816198 of the v y r d sp s d at 40 under all conditions commonly encountered an angle to the e of movement of the i thi class f w k sheets approaching the machines being fed Other and further objects of the invention SO h he respec ive sheets, if out of align us ill b b i upon an understandingof ment, will be engaged by these members and i the illustrated embodiment about to be deforced in p ition The pressure required scribed or will be obvious from the accomfor the alignment of the sheets with a device panying drawings or indicated in the apof this character is excessive and frequently pended claims; and various advantages secauses the sheets to buckle since the pres loo cured by the invention other than those heresure is applied at an angle to the plane of iii-after specifically referred to will occur to the sheets and not in the plane of the sheets.

one skilled in the art or become evident upon Fur hermore, if the sheets vary from the the employement of the invention in pracstandard size the larger sheets may have to tice. buckle in order to pass between the align- 1 A preferred form of the invention has ng member.

The present invention eliminates the difficulties encountered heretofore by providing a sheet aligning device in which there is a pair of horizontal members between which the sheets are adapted to pass edgewise disposed thereto and these members are interconnected so that when reciprocated they engage the opposite edges of the sheets alternately and move them into their correct positions. All forces are applied to the edges of the sheets and in the plane of the sheets. The buckling oi oversized sheets is eliminated since they are free to move under the action of either of the positioning members because the member-sengage the opposite edges of the sheets alternately. The present device is adapted to align sheets which vary from their correct position on a conveyor a maximum amount, sinee the positioning members are recipro cated toward and away from the respective sheets. i

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a pair of base members 1 and .2, which may or convenience be a part of the machine to which the device is attached, or they may be secured to a suitable foundationadjacent a conveyor. Suitable extensions or supporting members i and 5 arebolted at their lower ends to the members 1 and 2. respectively and have their upper ends pivotallysecured to the center portion to a pair ofupright members 6; and 7. l The upper ends of the upright members have suitable sleeves, formed there in adapted to accommodate a pair. of arms 8 and 9 which are held in position by the bolts 10 :and which likewise have sleeves termed at their ends to accommodate the sheet engaging members 14 and 15fsecurely held in position the bolts 16. The lower. ends of the iipright members are pivotally connected to the rod17. which correlates the moyements of the sheet engaging members so. that the opposite edges of the respective sheets are engaged alternately thereby.

' The supporting member a is extended beyond and' downwardly from the pivot 18; until it is substantally. U-shaped, and suitable bearings 20 and 21 are formed in the legs of the U to accommodate a shaft 22 eX- tending therebetween. A earn 2% is mounted on the sha'tt 22 and is adapted to engage a cam follower 26 mounted on the lower end of the upright member 6 and held in contact with the cam by means of the spring 28 attached to the upright member, 7 and support The rotation of the shaft 22, oscillates the upright members and the sheet engaging members 12 and 15 by means of the cam 24 to properly position the sheets. A gear 30 on shaft 22 meshes with gear 31 on shaft 32 to rotate the cam and to operate the device. The shaft 32 may be mounted in suitable bearings M on the members 1 and 2 and may be operatively connected to a driving mechanism through the gear 36 thereon.

It will be noted that the sheet engaging members 1 1 and 15 are bent outwardly t'o afford a greater distance between the forward ends thereof than between the other portions of the members. The reason for this'is to accommodate sheets varying from their correct position a considerable amount. Such sheets will be engaged by the flared ends of the members 1% and 15 and pressedinwzrd-ly by successive engagements of thesemembers therewith, until the sheets are sufl iciently near their correct position to be" aligned by the straight portions of the members 14; and 15. Iii this way sheets may be positioned without any tendency V to buckle them.

In Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, the present invention is shown applied to. the de livery end of an 'ovenO from which sheets are about to be transferred to the conveying mechanism a1 and to the lacquering ma: chine 42. The oven 40 comprises generally a conveyor H having U-shaped supporting wires adapted to convey metallic sheets in an upright position past the sheet engaging members 14 and 15 of the sheet aligning device which is. designated as a whole by 39. After being aligned, the sheets are laid flat upon the conveyor 41 whichdelivers them to a suitable lacquering machine. Both'the conveyor andthe; sheet positioning device are actuated by the gear seeperaav'ei con nected to the motor 43 through the worm gear 46, shaft ll, gears 48 and 49 and shaft 50. The sheets resting upon the supporting members ll) are engaged by the reciprocating positioning members 14 and 15' and pressed into correct alignment prior to their delivcry to the conveyor 41 and as a result they reach the machine'42 in correct alignment, and each sheet isin' position to receive designs or advertising matterin predetermined rotation to other designs thereon or to the edges of the sheets.

name detailed description of the apparatus shown in Figs. 5 and'6 maybe found in applicants prior application. Serial Rum her M l-340, filed October 18, 1924 of'which the present'app'lication' is a continuation as to all common subject matter.

lVhile the preferred embodiment of the invention is described in detail'with reter ence to th e'drawings herein, i t is notintended to limit the invention to the present disclosure, as'm'any'changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, andtheretore the description is to be taken as illustrative and not in a limiting sense, as the scope of the invention is defined in the claims.

Hit)

reoaosa Having thus described my invention, what I claim is I 1. Ina device of the class described, a device for aligning sheet material comprising supporting members, a pair of arms pivoted to said members, means to transmit motion from one arm to the other, means on said arms for engaging the edges of sheets, a cam follower mounted on one of said arms, and a cam in engagement with said followerf or reciprocating said engaging means.

2. In a device of the class described, a deice for aligning sheet material comprising a pair of supporting members, a pair of arms pivoted to said members, means for transmitting motion from one arm to the other, means on said arms for engaging the edges of sheets, a cam follower mounted on one of said arms, and a cam in engagement with said follower for reciprocating said engaging means to engage opposite sides of said sheets alternately.

3. In a device of the class described, a de vice for aligning sheet material comprising supporting members, a pair of arms pivoted on said members, means for transmitting motion from one arm to the other, one of said supporting members being U-shaped, a pair of hearings in said U-shaped member, a shaft mounted in said bearings, means for rotating said shaft and a cam thereon for reciprocating said arms.

l. In a device of the class described, a. device for aligning sheet material comprising supporting members, a pair of arms pivoted to said members, means for transmitting motion from one arm to the other, means on said arms for engaging the edges of sheets, one of said supporting members being U-shaped, a pair of hearings in said U- shaped member, a shaft mounted in said bearings, means for rotating said shaft and a cam thereon for reciprocating said arms to operate said engaging means.

5. In a device of the class described, a device for aligning sheet material, comprising a pair of supporting members, a pair of arms pivoted on said members, a bar connecting the lower ends of said arms, one of said supporting members being U-shaped, a pair of bearings in said Ushaped member, a shaft mounted in said bearings, means for rotating said shaft, and a cam thereon for reciprocating said arms.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a U-shaped supporting member having bearings therein, a shaft mounted in said bearings and extending across said supporting member, a cam on said shaft, a second member pivoted to the U-shaped member adapted to engage the edges of the sheet to position same, and a cam follower attached to said second member to cooperate with said cam to oscillate said second member.

7.111 a device of the class described, the combination of an inverted U-shaped supporting member having bearings in the lower ends thereof, a shaft mounted in saidbearings and extending across the open por tion of said U-shaped member, a sheet engaging member pivoted to theupper portion of said supporting member, and a cam on portion of said sheet engaging member extending below the pivot, a cam on said shaft adapted to engage said cam follower to oscillate said sheet engaging member.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of apair of supporting members, a pair of vertical members pivoted at their central portions to said supporting members, a pair of horizontal members attached to said vertical members to engage the edges of sheets and position same, a rod joining the lower ends of said verticalmembers, and means for reciprocating said hori zontal members.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a conveyor for sheet material, a pair of vertical members pivoted substantially at their center portions, a pair of horizontal sheet engaging members mounted on the upper ends of said vertical members, a rod joining the lower ends of said vertical members to correlate the movement thereof, and means for reciprocating said sheet engaging members to position sheets on said conveyor.

, 11. In a device of the class described, the combination of a conveyor adapted to support a series of sheets of tin in vertical position, a pair of vertical members pivoted substantially at their center portions, a air of horizontal sheet engaging mem ers mounted on the upper. ends of the vertical members, a rod extending below the portion of the conveyor supporting the sheets and joining the lower ends of said vertical members to correlate the movement of the latter, and means for reciprocating said sheet engaging members to position sheets as they are moved past said members by the conveyor.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pair of upright sheet engaging members, means for pivoting said members substantially at their central portions, a rod connected to the lower ends of the vertical members to form therewith an right members to position the sheets on the conveying means.

13. In a' device of the class described, the combination of a pan of upright membars; a pair. of horizontal members mounted at the upper ends thereof to engage sheets, supporting, means pivoted: to said upright members substantially at their central portion's, a; rod pivotally connected to the lower ends of the upright members to form a substantially open sided rectangular eonstruotion, a conveyor for moving sheets of material through the open portion of said reetangulai" construction, and a cam for oscillating the upright members to bring said horizontal members into engagement with the sheets on the conveyor to position same.

ABRAHAM PODEL. 

